A monitor lizard had to be rescued after rampaging through a barbecue restaurant then getting its head stuck in a drain pipe.

The hapless reptile sparked panic when it scurried through the diner in Kalasin, northeastern Thailand, on June 4.

When it was chased away the lizard tried to escape through a drain pipe but became stuck and was unable to wriggle free.

Footage shows the rescue team arriving and trying to pull the reptile out of the pipe. The restaurant owner told them he chased the 5ft long monitor lizard out of store.

He said: "I was welcoming the customers in front of the restaurant. Then I saw the reptile running towards the restaurant which startled me and the customers. The lizard ran inside so I grabbed a broom to drive it outside.

"The monitor lizard then ran away from the broom and tried to escape through the drain pipe but it was stuck."

Rescuers were finally able to pull the reptile out of the water drain after around 10 minutes. It was released back into the wild several miles away from homes.